It’s that
time of the year again, school is starting and you might be moving out for the
first time. Starting university often means the start of your independence and
living on your own for the first time can sometimes be a bit overwhelming if
you are not used to doing everything by yourself. I know that some have never
had to do their own laundry until they moved out and so I wanted to share my
tips with you so you can make the most of your money (doing laundry on campus
can be expensive) and have perfectly clean and fresh clothes.
This is a
list of practical tips I have learned over the years and hopefully they will
save you some headaches and help you avoid catastrophes. That being said the
most important thing to know is that it’s not that hard or complicated. Just
take your time and it will be alright.
1. First of
all, you need a laundry basket. If you are living on campus, chances you will
have to carry your laundry around so buy something that’s easy to carry. Plastic
baskets can take up a lot of space and are not easy to carry around, so go for
a laundry bag with good handles. Make sure it looks sturdy, you don’t want
something flimsy that will break the second time you use it.
2. Always
wash clothes with cold water. Not only does this save energy, it also prevents
colors from fading over time and can help reduce the risk of new clothes
staining the rest of your laundry. Also depending on the washers and your
school, using cold water can be less expensive than warm water.
3. When
possible I recommend wash new clothes (especially if they are dark or bright)
separately. If you don’t own a washer this can be expensive, so instead you can
hand wash them in a sink and either throw them in the dryer with the rest of
your clothes or hang them to dry. It requires more effort but this has helped me
save several clothes from staining. New jeans (especially dark washes) are very
prone to loose color when you first wash them so be careful.
4. When
washing towels and bedding, you do want to use warm water to help kill any
bacteria or allergens that can develop easily in fabrics that stay humid (like
hand towels). Also, try to do this every week, you don’t want dirty, smelly
towels and a clean bed always feels wonderful.
5. Use a gentle
laundry detergent, those with lots of fragrance or dyes can cause skin
irritations so you might want to switch to something that’s biodegradable and
fragrance-free. Don’t worry you clothes will still smell fresh and clean
afterwards.
6. Read the
labels, some fabrics do not do well with heat and should not be put in the
dryer. I personally find that rayonne t-shirts tend to lose their shape and go
wonky when they are put in the dryer. If possible try not to use the highest
heat setting, your clothes will stay in better shape over time and it might
save you a little money too.
7. Knits
look better when you leave them to dry flat, it keeps the wool from going all
fluffy and protects the texture.
8. Take the
time to read the settings on the washer and dryer. Do you have a lot of
clothes? If not than you can chose to fill the washer with less water and help
the environment at the same time. What kind of clothes are you washing? Are
they delicate, do they have any embellishments? If yes chose a more delicate
setting, which means the washer will move and spin less minimising the stress
on your clothes.
9. Things
like bras and clothes with delicate embellishments are often best to hand wash.
It takes more effort, but at least you are sure they will not be damaged.
10. Don’t
forget dryer sheets, they will prevent your clothes from being full of static.
In the winter and especially with knits, you might want to add a liquid fabric
softener for a stronger effect. Simply add it to the washer (where to put it should
be indicated inside the machine), while it is filling with water before it
starts the rinsing process.
I hope these
tips were helpful to you. I am sure most you know how to do your own laundry,
but I thought it was important to lend a helping hand to those trying it out
for the first time. If you have any questions, tips or tricks to add, simply
leave them in the comments below.
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